www.larksperennials.com Early Spring Gardens 2008

www.larksperennials.com I have been gardening here at my current home for 13 years. There are only a few plants that I can say are 13 years old. All others have been moved, divided or thrown out. I am a VERY passionate gardener and somewhat of an artsy lady. I view my gardens as a canvas. A painting that I am forever trying to make perfect. I like to help others with inexpensive ways to garden and create art for their landscape. I will walk you through my gardens from Spring through Winter. I hope you ENJOY the stroll.

1 of 17: www.larksperennials.com Scillas add that perfect BLUE that is the color that I use as a focal point in my gardens. The gold glass is a part of an old lamp, just to add color and visual interest.

2 of 17: Spiderwort can become invasive. I make sure I deadhead it and dig around the clump before it gets out of hand.

3 of 17: Yellow and blue are a favorite combination of mine. Minature daffodils and scillas. The deer and bunnies won\'t touch them.

4 of 17: This part of the garden is my hosta bed. I plant daffodils around ALL my hostas to keep the deer from eating them.

5 of 17: www.larksperennials.com I have a wetland area and the Marsh Marigolds are the stars in early Spring.

6 of 17: Prairie Smoke adds a softness to the Spring garden. It is a bit unusual, so ofcourse I like it. LOL

7 of 17: I like to use burgundy foliage in my gardens and landscape. This is a Pygmy Barberry with Prairie Smoke.

8 of 17: Trilliums really make my shaded area pop. They take so long to multiply. PATIENCE is something that gardening has taught me.

9 of 17: Blue Forget-Me-Nots are a flower that I let go CRAZY in my woodland area. The BLUE is so intense and I LOVE BLUE in the gardens. The white Foam Flower now gets alot of blooms since I spray it with my homemade pepper spray all Spring. The bunnies don\'t like the hot spicy taste.

10 of 17: Here the burgundy is Coral Bells, Plum Pudding.

11 of 17: Forget-Me-Nots, Bleeding Heart, Varigated Solomans Seal.

12 of 17: Perennial Bachelor Button and Jacobs Ladder

13 of 17: Lyme Grass, Elijah Blue, Smokebush and Button Buttercup

14 of 17: The last 5 years I have planted Alliums in Fall. They have become a favorite of mine.

Comments / Questions

The deer got my hostas last summer and left nothing but little stalks. I've tried inserting cuttings of sage (which supposedly they don't like) among the leaves and deer repellent sprays -- but I guess if they really are hungry, you end up on the losing end. Will daffodil bulbs in the ground actually deter them later in the season?

In my woodland garden I find that it is really dry. I now use soaker hoses and composted leaves. The perennials and bulbs seem to really love it. I use the soaker only when it hasn't rained in 10 days. The mature trees are saying "THANK YOU, THANK YOU". To keep the deer from eating everything I alternate several methods of making them go somewhere else. Homemade pepper spray, hanging bars of soap and human urine (sprayed with a regular garden sprayer). It lasts a couple of rains. LOL